Man Utd manager told 'he's had his time' moments before big decision was made

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Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was sacked by the club just hours after a pundit called for his dismissal. Ten Hag was relieved of his duties at Old Trafford in October 2024 after a 2-1 defeat by West Ham in the Premier League.

His two-year tenure came to an end after the result at the London Stadium marked United's fourth defeat in nine league matches. The Dutchman’s future had been up in the air for much of 2024 due to a disappointing season before the club’s Ineos bosses decided to extend his deal by two years at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, owing to Ten Hag’s FA Cup triumph.

However, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe decided to end Ten Hag’s tenure after a string of poor results, deeming the situation untenable. Pundit Jamie O’Hara had already urged the United hierarchy to cut the cord on the manager, believing he had been given enough time already.

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The former Tottenham midfielder said on Sky Sports after the West Ham defeat: "I'd get rid of him; I would have gotten rid of him three months ago. I wouldn't have given him a contract after the FA Cup, I'd have said, 'Thanks very much, you've finished with a trophy, go out on a high.'"

The pundit's prediction hit the mark. Less than a day later, Ten Hag was dismissed by United, as confirmed in their official statement. The announcement read: "We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future.

"Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited."

Ruben Amorim was brought in as his permanent replacement after two weeks under Van Nistelrooy's leadership. Ten Hag waited until May 2025 to return to management with Bayer Leverkusen, succeeding the highly successful Xabi Alonso.

Yet, Ten Hag’s time in Germany quickly turned ugly, and he was sacked after just two Bundesliga games in charge on September 1, 2025. He is set to work as the technical director of Eredivisie club Twente at the start of the 2026/27 season.

Meanwhile, United fared no better under Amorim, who finished in the bottom half of the table and lost the Europa League final in his first season in charge. The Portuguese head coach’s time at Old Trafford saw him refuse to deviate from his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation and fall out with the club hierarchy, which saw him dismissed this January.

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Since then, Michael Carrick has taken over the reins as interim head coach until the end of the season. The former United midfielder enjoyed a stellar start by winning six and drawing one of his first seven games in charge.

However, his extraordinary run came to an end on Wednesday as United suffered a 2-1 defeat at Newcastle . Amid speculation over whether Carrick’s impressive run would secure him a long-term contract at the end of the season, it remains to be seen whether the Red Devils will bounce back from their recent disappointment.

Another United legend and pundit, Paul Scholes, already made a mocking remark about Carrick, potentially foreshadowing the media frenzy the manager will endure - much like Ten Hag - if there are more losses down the line.

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